"I can't believe I'm going to be a father." Manny said as he and Steven talked in the breakroom. Now it wasn't that he didn't want the baby it was just that he wasn't sure he was ready for it.
"Relax Manny." Steven said.
"Relax?! Have you ever been a father?!"
"Well no."
"Okay then don't tell me to relax man because you have no idea what I'm going through!"
"You're right I'm sorry, I don't know what you're going through but I understand that this is very hard for you."
"You think?! I'm not saying that this is bad and that I don't want it but...I'm just not ready."
"Well could've been worse. At least your having it with your wife imagine if you had impregnated Zoe."
"Don't even joke about that. Oh man I need rum." He grabbed a bottle from the ice box and took a sip. "So on a different note how are Dipper and Pacifica?"
"Dipper is still recovering from injuries and Pacifica well...She's suffering from some trauma which came from both the years of abuse she felt from her family and the attempted rape of Gideon. Gardner's decided to have her take some time off, she's going to go live with her Aunt Charlotte."
"Oh God."
"What?"
"We haven't told Father Gardner yet."
"Really? It's been weeks. Why haven't you told him?"
"He's not exactly keen about relationships between the holy and unholy. He didn't approve ofthe relationship between my parents or the one between yours. You think he's gonna congratulate us when he hears the news?"
"Good point he won't be too happy especially since the woman you knocked up happened to be his ward."
"You're making it sound like it was a one stand where I took advantage of her! We're married! We did it on our honeymoon!"
"I know I'm just kidding but seriously though he's gonna find out sooner or later unless of course you can explain why Frida's stomach size has suddenly increased in just two weeks."
"Hmmm...Overeating? She has been eating a lot maybe he'll buy it."
"Manny he's a supernatural priest you think you can lie to him?"
"No I guess not. I'll tell him I just need to pick the right time."
"So let me ask you something, you're married right?"
"Yeah I'm petty sure I just said that."
"Right so you know a lot about women right."
"I know some things but not a lot and marriage doesn't make me an expert."
"But you can give me advice right?"
"I guess why do you ask? You have a crush?"
"Well I wouldn't call it a crush I think it goes deeper than that."
"How deep? Oh don't tell me it's love."
"I'm not sure but I think it is."
"Who's the girl?"
"Promise not to tell?"
"You have my word as a devil or rather half devil."
"Okay it's...It's Connie."
"Wow I saw that coming."
"You did?"
"You're poetry was a really big give away."
"I told you guys to stay out of my stuff!"
"Sorry we couldn't resist. So what do you want advice on?"
"Well I don't know. Right now she and I are having a tough time talking to each other because of that fight we had."
"Steven that was two years ago."
"Yes and she's finally agreed to be my friend again but being apart from her all this time has made me realize that I want more and the last time I had feelings for a girl didn't end well."
"That's because she was already married and you tried to turn her into a vampire against her will."
"Give me a break I had never been in love before."
"Okay you want some advice here's some. Number one don't try to turn her into a vampire!"
"Oh I'd never!"
"And two just do something for her. Something that let's her know you care or something like that."
"Well there is one thing that I've been planning for a long time."
"Really what's that?"
"A year ago I tracked down her parents and I'm thinking of inviting them over."
"Bad idea."
"What?"
"Steven you know how she feels about her parents, that's the whole reason why your relationship was strained for two years now just when things are getting back to normal you're going to bring it up again."
"She's making a mistake cutting them out of her life."
"That maybe true but we're in no position to but into her family business."
"I know but I just...I just can't let her do it."
"Why do you care so much?"
"I don't know. Maybe it's because I saw how heartbroken her parents were when she left or maybe it's because I never knew my mother and I lost my father too soon."
"So that's what this is about."
"Yeah...Manny, Connie isn't like us. You, me, Dipper, and Frida all lost our parents at a young age and Pacifica was abused by hers. Connie is the only one of us who's parents are still alive and still love her. I would give anything to have that."
"I know what you mean. You have no idea how much I wished my parents were there when Frida and I got married. My mother would have been so happy to see Frida wearing her wedding gown that she'd cry tears of joy and my father he...Well he would cry tears of joy too but they would be manly tears."
"See? Connie's lucky that she still has her parents. She should spend time with them while she stills can."
"I agree but I really don't think you should meddle."
"She misses them I know she does I just don't understand why she doesn't want to see them."
"Hate to tell you this Steven but we'll never understand women even after we marry them."
"Manny! Can you bring me some charred steak with jelly?" Frida cried. "And also some hamburgers with ice cream?"
"Coming dear." Manny groaned. "Ugh! Why do pregnant women have to eat so much gross stuff."
Steven giggled. He never pictured Manny as a married man before but seeing how he treated Frida he now saw that he made a good husband. He was glad that Manny and Frida loved each other so much and he hoped to feel that kind of love with Connie. Though something told him that it was a bad idea another part told him that it was and he gave in to the part telling him that it was a good idea.
So the next day he sent a letter to Connie's parents requesting them to come to the Helsing Organization in Maine with the news that they found their daughter. Within three days Doug and Piriyanka Maheswaran arrived.
Knock-knock!
Solomon answered the door to find a man and woman in their forties standing there.
"Hello can I help you?" Solomon asked.
"I'm Doug Maheswaran and this is my wife Piriyanka. We're here to see our daughter." The man called Doug said.
"Your daughter?"
"Yes." The woman called Piriyanka said. "We received a letter saying she was here."
"Mother?" Connie had just come downstairs to see who was at the door and you can imagine her surprise when she saw her parents there.
When her parents saw her tears of joy filled their eyes and smiles graced their faces.
"Connie!" They cried joyfully. They ran inside and threw their arms around her, hugging her tightly.
"Oh Connie we thought that we would never see you again." Doug said.
"What are you two doing here?" She asked.
"What are we doing here? What are you doing here?" Piriyanka said. "Do you have any idea how worried we were? We searched everywhere for you!"
"How did you find me?" She asked.
"Someone sent us a letter telling us you were here." Doug said.
"My how you've grown." Piriyanka said. "We still can't believe that you've been gone for only seven years. It felt like forever."
"I don't understand. Why are you here?"
"We're here to take you home."
"No!" She said stepping away.
"Connie."
"No I'm not going home with you!"
"Why not?"
"Don't tell me you don't remember why I ran away!"
"Connie please let us explain." Doug said.
"No! You think that you can just take me back with you and force me to only care about work and school? No! I'm staying here!"
"Connie please listen to us."
"I don't want to talk to you! Go away!"
She ran back upstairs, slamming the door to her room in the process.
"You both must be tired allow me to escort you to your bedrooms." Solomon said akwardly.
Steven using his sonic bat hearing heard the whole conversation and immediately went to Connie's room.
"What are you doing?" He asked her. "Those were your parents you just shouted at!"
"Steven please not now."
"Aren't you even going to listen to what they have to say?"
"I know exactly what they're going to say. They're going to say that I'm horrible for running away, that my job is too dangerous, and they're going to force me to go back and send me to another strict school."
"You don't know that for sure."
"I know my parents."
"Did you ever think that they love you and miss you and just want to see you again?"
"Yes! I have thought about it but I never went back because I knew no matter how much they loved and missed me they would never change! They would never stop trying to control my life! How did they even find me?"
"I sent a letter telling them where you were!"
"You what?!"
"Look I know you didn't-"
But he was silenced by her punching him across his face.
"Ow! What the hell is your problem?!"
But that was only followed by her throwing books from the shelf.
"Hey! Stop that! Connie! What's your damn problem?!" He grabbed her wrists and pinned her to the wall. She struggled but he was too strong for her. "You've gone completely insane! I know you're upset but that doesn't give you the right to attack me! I swear if you weren't a woman I would punch you right back!"
How could you do that?!" She cried. "How could you bring them here?!"
"Connie you're making a mistake by cutting your parents out of your life!"
"It's none of your business!"
"I know but I can't let you do this!"
"Why?! Why do you care so much about this?!"
"Because you'll regret not making up with them when they die! Connie your parents love you so much and I know that you still love them! Why can't you just try to make up with them?!"
"Get off of me!" She screamed.
Steven huffed. He didn't want to let her go but he couldn't just hold her here against her will so he released her wrists. She then walked off angrily.
She was seething with anger. She couldn't believe what Steven did. It was her life, he had no right to meddle. Why couldn't he understand just how awful it was with her parents? They were controlling, overbearing, and never once cared about how she felt.
She went outside to cool off where she found Frida feeding the doves. She stood by the stairway throwing a mixture of seeds, corn, and nuts on to the ground where flocks of white doves fluttered down to eat them. She then glanced down at her stomach which was now slightly bigger and smiled as she thought of the beautiful new life growing inside of her.
"You sure are growing fast." She said. "Either that or I'm eating way too much."
"Hey." Connie greeted. "What are you doing?"
"Just talking to the baby."
"You seem pretty excited about it." Connie said.
"Yeah but being pregnant isn't easy especially when you're carrying a child with devil's blood."
"What do you mean?"
"Well aside from the insane cravings I get my stomach is also getting big rather quickly."
"Already? It's only been a few weeks."
"Devil fetuses grow faster than human ones. Manny was born in just three months and his mother started showing after the first week."
"Yikes! So when do you think the baby will be born?"
"Well Manny was born in three months so I estimate this little one will be born in six months."
"How's Manny taking to it?"
"Well he's still adjusting to the whole thing but I'm sure that deep down he's just as excited as I am. So how are things?"
"Honestly they're horrible."
"Why? What happened?"
"Steven brought my parents here! He wants me to make up with them."
"And you don't?"
"No...Yes...I don't know. Don't get me wrong I do wanna make up with my parents but I don't want things to go back to the way they were before."
"How do you know it's going to be like that?"
"I just know and Steven...He had no right to do that! No right at all! I just don't get why he's so obsessed with me making up with them!"
"Well you can't really blame him for trying."
"What do you mean I can't blame him?!"
"Connie I don't know much about your relationship with Steven but I doubt that he did this to hurt you. I think the real reason is because his parents are dead and not just his mine, Manny's, and Dipper's. None of us have a family anymore but you still do. Take me for example my parents died when I was elven years old, my father wasn't there to give me away on my wedding day and my child will never know it's grandparents. I think the reason he did this was because he wanted you to enjoy your time with your parents while you still can."
Connie felt her anger toward Steven start to subside. She had forgotten that she was the only one of her friends who still had a family that loved her. No wonder Steven was so determined to have her make up with them. He wasn't trying to hurt her or berate her he was only trying to help her mend the broken bonds with her family.
"How could I be so selfish?" Connie said regretfully.
"Hey don't beat yourself up too much about this." Frida said. "I'm sure what your parents did was bad but maybe during all this time you were gone they realized how wrong they were and they want to make up."
"You're probably right. I'm gonna go talk to them."
"Great now let's go- Get down!"
Frida jumped to the ground and pulled Connie down with her as bullets were suddenly being fired from a vehicle driving by. Looking through the window of the vehicle the girls saw that the shooter was Victor Cladwell. The vehicle stopped and he along with Andrew and several other men came out shooting.
"Who is that?" Connie asked.
"Those are the guys who attacked me and Manny." Frida said.
"You mean the fanatics?"
"Yes!" Frida grabbed her gun and prepared to get up to shoot only for Connie to jerk it out of her hand. "What are you doing?"
"You can't fight them."
"What?"
"Frida you're pregnant! You can't risk getting shot it might cause harm to the baby! You stay down and out of sight! I'll protect you!"
"Connie I'm not weak!"
"No but your child is and if you value it's life you will not fight."
"You're right. I'll stay hidden."
"Good now while I fight them off you call for help with my radio."
Before shooting at them Connie handed her radio communicator which Frida used to call Solomon, Father Gardner, and the boys for help. They immediately rushed to their aid. Solomon and Gardner fought while Manny and Steven went to the girls.
"You two alright?" Steven said.
"We're fine." Frida said.
"You need to get Frida out of here! Now!" Connie said.
"I'm already on it." Manny took Frida into his arms and ran back to the order using his wings to shield her from the bullets while Steven and Connie fought them off. One bullet hit the vehicle causing it to turn over then crash and explode.
"Ellie!" Andy shouted in horror as he raced after the vehicle.
While Victor and his men were distracted, Steven, Connie, and others made their escape but one of Victor's men shot a bullet at Steven.
"Look out!" Connie cried shoving him out of the way resulting in the bullet hitting her foot.
"Connie!" Steven cried horrified.
"Go! Keep running! I'll be alright!"
But he refused to abandon her and as soon as he went back to her side he suffered as fatal shot to the chest resulting in him losing consciousness.
"STEVEN!" Connie screamed in horror.
"Quick! Capture them!" Victor ordered.
His men surrounded the injured pair. Connie clinged to Steven's body protectively as the men began to drag them away. Solomon and Gardner tried to go back and save them but Victor unleashed an explosion of flames that blocked their way and by the time the explosion had cleared they were all gone.
"Where do you think they could've taken them?" Solomon said.
"I don't know." Gardner said. "But it's obvious that we're dealing with terrorists that are highly trained in the supernatural."
"Terrorists?"
"Yes. They claim that they want to protect mankind but the truth is they are so obsessed with eliminating who or what they see as threat that will kill anything and anyone. Even innocent civilians."
"What are the chances they'll let Steven and Connie live?"
"Steven no chance, Connie they may spare."
"Connie? What happened to Connie?" Doug asked after overhearing their conversation.
"Don't panic Mr. Maheswaran." Solomon said. "But Connie has been abducted."
"What?"
"Don't worry we will rescue her by any means necessary."
"Oh you must! Please! My wife and I just found her! We can't lose her again!"
"You have my word we will bring her back."
"Father Gardner! Solomon! Come quick!" They heard Frida scream.
At her cries they ran in the direction of where Frida was and found her holding an unconscious little girl with a gash on her forehead.
"I found her on the ground." Frida said. "She's alive but she needs help."
"Take her to the clinic now." Gardner said.
And they rushed to the clinic.
